Large Scale Central

Slate Creek Railway no longer on the Nat'l NG Convention Tour

General Discussion
#1

Friends,

After a great deal of soul searching, I’ve decided to withdraw the Slate Creek Railway from the National Narrow Gauge Convention layout tour. That’s mostly because people expect to see layouts with some degree of completed scenery, and mine, while making good progress, really isn’t ready yet for a public presentation.

I also have a non-scenery train project that is taking up a lot of my hobby time and energy, and that I need to make progress on more rapidly than I will if my attention is divided. More about that later… heh heh heh.

In any case, any of my LSC friends who want to see the Slate Creek in its come-as-you-are primordial form, run some trains, even, and otherwise pay a visit of state are most welcome to do so … simply get hold of me and tell me when you’d like to come while you’re in town; I think I can trust this bunch to ignore the storage bins and various stuff under the layout, the lack of professional lighting, and to Ooh and Aah properly at what HAS been done. And, there’ll be more room for people who want to run stuff too … you can even bring your own if you like. Just know that we’re not quite presentation quality as yet… I dunno that I’d drive all the way from hickory to see it myself! :slight_smile:

You can see how things stand currently at: http://slatecreekrailway.blogspot.com/

Matthew (OV)

#2
Matthew (OV) said:
Any of my LSC friends who want to see the Slate Creek in its come-as-you-are primordial form, run some trains, even, and otherwise pay a visit of state are most welcome to do so ... simply get hold of me and tell me when you'd like to come while you're in town
That, by the way, is true whether there's a convention going on nearby or not, come to think of it!
#3

Matthew
I thought of with withdrawing my layout from the National Garden Railway Convention cause of some of the
reason you stated. As seen in this form, I just had some track and a start on the scenery. The comments
I heard from the fine people that visited the layout was very positive. They like to see layouts in the “building”
stage. I was about 45 miles from the convention site and still had about 400 people show up. Even if you
have only 1 train running a lot of folks just like to see the trains.

Rodney

#4

Matt and Rodney,

I understand how we are led to think we should have museum quality displays and every thing just right, but most people understand the reality of life and that this is just a hobby.

Good points and though we all like to put our best work in front of people to see, I always thought that if the model railroad is done, its time to tear it all up and start on another project. :wink: Thanks for the invite, Matt. And yes, Rodney I need to get out your way also.

#5
Ric Golding said:
Matt and Rodney,

I always thought that if the model railroad is done, its time to tear it all up and start on another project.


Bingo !
Fortunately, as slow as I work, I don’t think I’ll have this problem :wink:
Ralph

#6

Matthew, We were open for the self-guided tours the weekend prior to the G-scale convention in KC, in June… Sat morning, the open house was scheduled to start at 9 am… At 7 am that morning, it started to rain… by 9 am, we had just over 2 inches of rain… it drizzled till about 11 am… the 2 inches of rain did a job, washing out ballast, and making the yard a soaking grass puddle… At 9:15 am, we got the first call, from folks who stayed up-town friday night, wanting to know if the railroad was still open for touring, considering the weather… their statement was: ““We would just like to see the railroad, we understand if you don’t have any trains running””… It was about 12:30, before I could get a train out on the layout, because we were so busy with visitors, and explaining the railroad… Mine is also under construction… We had about 20 conventioneers and about 10 friends on that Sat, and most stayed for at least 2 hours… I think your wrong to withdraw… a layout tour is not all about just watching trains run…

my 2 cents worth… :slight_smile:

#7

They also offered white water raft trips down the water features, but there were few takers. The low bridges of a model railroad make for fantastic facial expressions for those filming the occupants of the rafts.